Bale elevator structure



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 H. BUTCHER; SR 2,799,387

BALE ELEVATOR STRUCTURE July 16; 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 Hbrry Bufchz; .91:

IN V EN TOR.

BY? n1! H. BUTCHER, SR

BALE ELEVATOR STRUCTURE July 16, 1957 3 s eets-sheet 3 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

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vm A N 1 Db vw MN \QV N w l hH l l h HIIIHIIIHH 0 0 Q8 Q 9m H g s m@ m ,9 v3 m: ST o 0 m9 9 v 9m I BY 2,799,387 BALE ELEVATOR STRUCTURE Harry Butcher, Sr., Milierton, Pa.

Application January 8, 1954, Serial No. 402,866

1 Claim. (Cl. 198-4205 This invention relates generally to conveyor mechanism an pertains more particularly to an improved form of bale elevator structure.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved bale elevator mechanism, which consists essentially of inner and outer frame assemblies, telescopically interengaged and provided with a single endless flexible conveyor mechanism and means for selectively extending and collapsing the inner frame with respect to the outer frame.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism in conformity with the foregoing object, wherein means is provided for raising and lowering the extensible end of the assembly.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of bale elevator structure having inner and outer mutually extensible frame members and a single endless flexible conveyor assembly which consists of a pair of spaced endless chain members interconnected by paddle or blade elements pivotally connected thereto, the inner and outer frame being provided with means for maintaining certain of the panels in upright, conveying position while the remainder of the blades or paddles are permitted to swing freely such that the entire assembly may be made of extremely compact design.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the assembly;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly, showing various of its positions in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 4-4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is another vertical transverse section taken substantially along the plane of section line 55 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken substantially along the plane of section line 66 in Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the inner frame assembly;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the blade or paddle members;

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 9-9 in Figure 8.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be noted that the improved bale elevator structure consists essentially of an inner frame, designated generally by the reference character 10, telescopically received in an outer frame designated generally by the reference character 12. The outer frame consists of a bottom wall 14 having spaced upstanding side walls 16 and 18 secured thereto or integrally formed therewith and an end wall 20. As seen most clearly in Figure 3, the end wall 20 is 17 nited States Patent 0 i Patented July 16, 1957 An elevating assembly indicated generally by the refer ence character 36 is of U-shaped configuration having spaced arm members 38 and 40 interconnected at one end by a bight portion 42 underlying the bottom wall 14 of the outer frame 12 and provided thereon with generally hat-shaped roller members 44 which simultaneously engage the undersurface or bottom wall 14 of the frame 12 and the opposed side walls 16 and 18 thereof in the manner shown most clearly in Figure 5. The free ends of the arms 38 and 40 visibly receive the axle 32 and suitable cross brace members 46 and 48 may be provided for rigidifying the elevating assembly. A Windlass assembly, indicated generally by the reference character 50 is secured adjacent the rear end of the frame 12 and a cable member 52 issues therefrom in the manner shown and is trained about a pulley 54 journaled on a shaft member 56 secured to the elevating frame 36 and the cable then extends in flight 57 to a point of attachment on the support assembly 24. A suitable ratchet assembly is associated with the Windless 50 and it will be manifest that manipulation of the crank 58 thereof will effect swinging of the elevator assembly 36 in a vertical plane to raise and lower the forward end of the frame 12 as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2.

As seen most clearly in Figure 7, the inner frame assembly 10 consists of a pair of spaced parallel side plate members 60 and 62 interconnected by a transverse plate member 64, the opposite ends of which terminate short of the corresponding ends of the side plates 60 and 62, as shown. The dimensions of the inner frame 10 are such that the side plates 60 and 62 are disposed closely adjacent the side Walls 16 and 18 of the outer frame 12 when the two frame members are telescopically engaged and it will be seen that the upper edge of the side plates 60 and 62 are provided with vertical extension cars 66 and 68 apertured at their free ends to receive the tension springs '70 and 72, the opposite ends of which are suitably secured to the outer frame such that the two frame members are normally urged to a collapsed position. For the purpose of selectively extending the inner frame, a Windlass assembly indicated generally by the reference character 74 is provided on one side wall of the outer frame and a cable 76 associated therewith is trained over a pulley 78 journaled at the forward end of the outer frame, the cable then extending in the flight 80 to a point of attachment at the rearward end, of the inner frame, such that manipulation of the Windlass will extend the inner frame 10 in opposition to the springs 70 and 72 for positioning the bale elevator as desired.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 6 wherein the details of the Windlass 74 are shown, it will be seen that this assembly consists of a drum member 82 suitably tethered to the shaft 84 extending through the side wall 18 of the outer frame and provided at its free end with a gear member 86 meshing with a pinion 83 on shaft 9% to which the handle assembly 92 is secured. A casing 94 journals the free end of shaft 84 and also journals the shaft 90, as will be readily apparent, this housing or casing being rigidly secured to the side wall 18 by means of the bracket portion 86. One flange 98 of the drum 82 is provided with ratchet teeth 100 with which a manner shown. Each of the shaft members carries a pair of sprocket members, 114, 116, 118, 120 and 122, respectively, disposed adjacent and inwardly of the respective side members of theinner and outer frames. An

endless chain member 124 is associated with each set of.

sprockets in the manner shown most clearly in-Figure 3.

As shown most clearly in Figures 8 and 9, the chain members 124 are interconnected by a plurality of blade or paddle assemblies 126,which incorporate the elongated paddle plate 128 extending, between the chain elements and having ears 130 at opposite ends thereof adjacent corresponding ears '132'onthe individual link 134 of the chain by means of which a pin member 136 pivotally connects the paddle assemblies between the chain. The opposite ends of the paddle plate are additionally provided with suitable brackets l38'having laterally bent and laterally projecting cam arms 140, the purpose of which will be presently apparent.

As seen most clearly in Figure 3, the guide plate member 64-of the inner frame 10 is located with respect to the sprockets 114 and 116 such that the flight 142 of the chain member which extends therebetween is disposed immediately thereabove such that as the paddle assemblies 126 passthereover, the cam anns 140 will engage on the upper surface of the guide plate 64 to maintain the paddle blades in substantially vertical position for prop erly engaging the bale to be carried by the assembly. Likewise, a guide plate 144 is disposed between the opposed side walls 16 and 18 of the outer frame 12 to closely underlie the flight 146 of the chain assembly which extends between the sprockets 118 and 122 to maintain the associated paddle blades in vertical position during their travel therebetween. All the remaining paddle blades are permitted to swing or pivot freely between the chain assemblies. This construction is very important inasmuch as it permits the vertical height of the conveyor or bale elevator assembly to be materially reduced as will be readily apparent from a study of Figure 3. In this respect, it will be noted that the bottom wall 14 of the outer frame may be disposed much more closely to the lower flight of'the chain assemblies than is shown in Figure 3 even to the extent that this lower flight rests upon the bottom wall 14.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A bale elevator assembly comprising an outer conveyor frame, an inner conveyor frame telescopically received in said outer frame, a pulley rotatably mounted at each end of said outer frame and a pulley rotatably mounted at each end of said inner frame, an endless flexible element trained over said pulleys, means for driving one of said pulleys, means for selectively extending said inner frame from the outer frame, a plurality of longitudinally spaced blades pivotally connected to said flexible element, and means on said inner and outer frames for maintaining those blades disposed between the pulleys at the opposite ends of the respective frames in an upright position, said last mentioned means including an elongated plate on each of said frames, said plates underlying those flights of the flexible element extending between the pulleys at the opposite ends of the respective members, a U-shaped support member having a bight portion, one end of said outer frame being journaled on said bight portion of said support member, an axle journaled between the free ends of said support member, an arm pivotally secured to said axle at one end and having its other end provided with a roller, said roller engaging the under surface of said outer frame adjacent its other end, and means for swinging said arm about said axle for raising and lowering said other end of the outer frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 269,561 Cortelyow Dec. 26, 1882 723,335 Talmage Mar. 24, 1903 782,050 Plunket Feb. 7, 1905 891,140 Brown et a1 June 16, 1908 1,010,297 Michener Nov. 28, 1911 1,212,890 Billings Jan. 16, 1917 1,321,531 Manierre Nov. 11, 1919 1,589,495 Wentz June 22, 1926 1,989,537 Wentz Jan. 29, 1935 2,536,672 Tyrrell Jan. 2, 1951 2,621,777 Tintes Dec. 16, 1952 

